System Config Tools Cleanup Project - tools to eliminate/replace

Michael Cronenworth mike at cchtml.com
Tue Mar 24 20:19:38 UTC 2009


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: System Config Tools Cleanup Project - tools to 
eliminate/replace
From: Bill Nottingham <notting at redhat.com>
To: Development discussions related to Fedora <fedora-devel-list at redhat.com>
Date: 03/24/2009 03:06 PM

> 
> It's a tool that generates a sane xorg.conf. If that is the goal,
> I think it's a better place to start than with a large barely-maintained
> graphical framework.
> 

Unfortunately it's not a 100% guarantee to get a "sane" xorg.conf. The 
default for resolutions in X have been to try the maximum possible by 
the monitor, but this may not work well with the selected video card 
driver. Example: mga driver with a G450 and any size LCD monitor will 
not work above 800x600. I had to switch to the "vesa" driver to get a 
working X.

There needs to be better configuration keeping. X should first see if 
there is an xorg.conf. If there is one, it should see if the driver 
matches the currently installed card. If it does, it tries to start X. 
If the card and driver do not match, X should ignore the xorg.conf by 
default with the possiblity of a "Force" option. As for resolutions, 
without an xorg.conf, X should try the highest available, but fallback 
to a lower resolution if a user hasn't clicked on an "OK" button, etc. 
after a set amount of time.

All of this should be exposed to user-space so that X does not have to 
be run as root and the xorg.conf could be configured by GDM (KDM, etc) 
and/or the user via PolicyKit. This should also allow for use of GTK+ or 
QT for configuration widgets. The last thing a new user should see is a 
raw Xt window.

The "rm -f xorg.conf" policy is a good one in nature, but there will 
always be a need for static configuration. It seems the same dynamic 
configuration policy was on the minds of NetworkManager developers at 
the start, which has caused more trouble than good. Ajax should still 
continue work on making X hot-pluggable, hot-switchable, and more 
dynamic, but a static configuration policy should not be forgotten.

tldr;




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